Rugby: Chiefs need to be more disciplined

Brodie Retallick takes the ball up strongly for the Chiefs against the Brumbies on Friday night.

The Chiefs must stop conceding penalties.

That is the biggest issue from the opening two rounds of Super Rugby despite winning both their games.

On Friday night, Aaron Cruden calmly slotted a last gasp penalty to seal a 19-17 victory over the impressive Brumbies in New Plymouth but the lack of discipline at the offside line and rucks nearly cost them the match.

Against the Blues in the opener at Albany, the Chiefs were clearly the superior side but six penalties kicked by Ihaia West kept the Blues in the game.

The Brumbies match ran a similar course with the pedantic Steve Walsh whistling 21 penalties with 14 against the Chiefs. Captain Liam Messam was the worst offender and missing openside flanker Sam Cane through a late injury was a huge loss.

Sometimes a player's worth to a team is most obvious when they are not playing, which was definitely the case with Cane against the Brumbies.

All Blacks lock and 2014 IRB Player of the Year Brodie Retallick admitted the Chiefs are pushing the referees.

"We are trying to roll the dice there and got caught a few times and other times we got away with it," he said. "I think it is something we have to look at moving on from here. We gave away too many penalties and took a bit of pressure off them ... "

Retallick, who is contracted to the Bay of Plenty Steamers but yet to wear the jersey, enjoyed 40 minutes of rugby in the second half and his supremacy in the lineout and physicality at the breakdown were typically top class.

The Chiefs had opportunities to put the Brumbies away in the first half but apart from a well-taken try by Charlie Ngatai, who impressed at second-five with Sonny Bill Williams a late scratching, they bombed two clear-cut chances.

Maama Vaipulu, No 8, dropped the ball over the line after the move of the match featuring some trickery from Aaron Cruden and Messam, before lock Mike Fitzgerald spilled a pass short of the Brumbies line after some quick hands created space.

But two from two is a satisfactory start for the Chiefs who now prepare to host the Crusaders in Hamilton on Saturday night.